Shed for equipment is needed in county

Friday, November 7, 2003

CHARLESTON - While Mississippi County is already struggling with a tight budget, a road department shed appears to be a necessity.

Presiding Commissioner Jim Blumenberg said during the commission's regular meeting Thursday the county needs to build a shed to protect its $1 million worth of heavy equipment and road maintenance vehicles from the weather. "I just think it needs to be done," he said. "I think it needs to be done this coming year."

Commissioner Martin Lucas agreed with Blumenberg but asked the unavoidable question: "Can we afford it?"

Blumenberg said he would have to research the cost of a shed large enough to cover all the county's vehicles, suggesting as previously discussed a "pole barn - all open. All we're going to do is back into it," he said.

Commissioners agreed they should place the shed so its opening faces east as most of the winds come from the west.

In other Mississippi County news:

* The county will need to rebid the fixed base operation lease for the county's airport which expires at the end of this year, according to County Clerk Junior DeLay.

The present leaseholder, Stanley Hubbard of East Prairie, has had the lease for five years as a representative of the SEMO Skydiver's Club after activating a two-year extension option following a three-year lease.

* Informational panels for the Lewis and Clark memorial at Whipple Park are in place between columns donated by the county to the Mississippi County Historical Society.

"It looks really, really good," said Commissioner Homer Oliver.

Events are scheduled for 2 p.m. Nov. 16 at Whipple Park and at 10 a.m. Nov. 19 at Birds Point with re-enactors.

Commissioners noted that the official route marker by the Missouri Department of Transportation directing traffic to the historical marker at Birds Point turns a 100-yard trip into four miles to avoid a dangrous intersection. "I can see why they did it," said Lucas.

* Commissioners will seek bids on a new large tracked excavator.

As the current machine has a $61,000 minimum guaranteed buy back, commissioners agreed to request bids be submitted listing prices with and without a trade-in on the old machine.

February is the deadline for the buy back, according to DeLay.

Commissioners also asked for the bids to include a five-year warranty.

Blumenberg said warranties on heavy equipment have worked out best for the county. "You know what you're going to spend," he said.

* Commissioners agreed to apply for funding through the Solid Waste Management Program for recycling trailers in the county. The application deadline for 2004 funds is Dec. 31, according to DeLay.

* Commissioners appointed John Tucker of Charleston to the TIF District board for a Charleston outer road and shopping center renovation project.

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